Supes to discuss IGA with city for USGS water study

KINGMAN – A model for groundwater flow in the Hualapai Basin is among the items on Tuesday’s regular agenda for the Mohave County Board of Supervisors, including the scope of work proposed by the U.S. Geological Survey.

The board meets at 9:30 a.m. at the County Administration Building, 700 W. Beale St. Meetings are normally scheduled for the first and third Monday, but Monday is President’s Day, a federal holiday.

Supervisors will be discussing an intergovernmental agreement, or IGA, between the city of Kingman and Mohave County, establishing the responsibilities and obligations of each entity.

The agreement would need approval by Kingman’s City Council.

The county’s share of funding would be $79,650 for the first year of the program, which would be included in the Flood Control District budget for 2018.

The USGS, along with the Arizona Department of Water Resources, started hydrogeology studies of the Hualapai, Detrital and Sacramento Valley basins in 2005, looking at groundwater movement and level changes, storage estimates and preliminary groundwater flow.

Since then, agricultural companies have become substantial water users in the Hualapai Basin. The USGS estimates the amount of water used for agricultural purposes has increased by three-fold, from 8,000 acre-feet in 2014 to 23,000 acre-feet in 2015.

In response to the massive water withdrawal, Mohave County asked USGS for a scope of work to develop a model that would analyze changes in agricultural acreage, crops, conservation efforts and groundwater recharge. The three-year total cost is $449,300.

In other items on the board’s agenda:

• Adoption of a resolution to establish west Jane Avenue from Stockton Hill Road to north Park Street, about three-fourths of a mile, as a county highway.

• Direct staff to work with the city of Kingman to explore the feasibility and direct costs associated with holding City Council meetings in the county building auditorium.

• Adoption of a resolution to continue supporting Congressional bills similar to those that have been introduced in the 114th Congress that authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey federal land in Mohave County to qualified entities.

• Recommend approval of a special event liquor license for Western Arizona Humane Society at Davis Camp. Event date is March 4.

• Authorize Mohave County to join with other Arizona counties and government entities in filing an Amicus Curiae to address rulings in Humphrey v. State of Arizona.